Review: Scholars Study White Supremacy’s Influence on US Politics, Culture
Article Summary
Three sociologists have documented how extremist white supremacist movements have come to pose a significant threat to American democracy. In their book “Out of Hiding: Extremist White Supremacy and How It Can Be Stopped”, Kathleen M. Blee, Robert Futrell and Pete Simi identify three critical periods when federal law enforcement could have countered the momentum of the movement: the violent backlash to the election of Barack Obama in 2008; the merging of racist groups at the United the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia; and the January 6 insurrection. The authors argue that efforts to distinguish ordinary from extreme participants in the Capitol riot overlook the event’s place within the long history of white supremacist extremism in the US.
US Voting System Under Threat from Extremist White Supremacy
As US voting systems face threats and disinformation, social movement scientists offer insights. They highlight the rise of extremist white supremacy in their new book “Out of Hiding: Extremist White Supremacy and How It Can Be Stopped”. The authors trace its resurgence directly to the disinformation-fueled Capitol insurrection.
The Rise of Racist Extremist Movements
While domestic terrorism by racist extremists is not new, the authors underscore three recent moments when federal and cultural leaders failed to halt extremist white supremacists’ momentum. These failures allowed the movement to gain power.
The authors argue that the Republican Party’s connection to racial extremism mirrors the Ku Klux Klan’s influence on the 1948 ‘Dixiecrat’ Democratic Party. Racist ideas and symbols, once hidden, are now widespread across digital media and political discourse.
Key Moments in the Rise of Racist Extremism
The first key moment was the backlash to the 2008 election of America’s first Black president, Barack Obama. This backlash energized extremist white supremacists, leading to violent attacks including the 2012 Sikh temple shooting in Wisconsin and the murder of Black churchgoers in South Carolina.
The second key moment occurred at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Despite violent crimes committed by extremist white supremacists, the movement encountered little government opposition and even received support from Donald Trump.
The Jan. 6 insurrection marked the third key moment – a product of this emboldened movement, embraced by Trump just four years after Charlottesville’s clear warnings.
Understanding and Addressing Racist Extremism
The authors caution against oversimplifying racial extremism by focusing on groups like the Proud Boys. They emphasize the need to understand and confront the broader, enduring white supremacist culture.
Trump and partisan news outlets like Fox News have capitalized on racial resentment for political gain, according to the authors. As the nation prepares for the 2024 presidential election, “Out of Hiding” provides a comprehensive overview of our current state of polarization and potential remedies.
They recommend a combination of individual action, application of existing laws to prosecute domestic terrorists, and evidence-based deradicalization programs. They encourage a frank and urgent assessment of the realities we face.
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